AUDITIONS WERE HELD November 10th, 12th and 19th and we are pleased to announce the Top 20 Semi-Finalists of over 40 who auditioned from ages 11-18! View our Audition Highlights on our You Tube Channel. The Top 5 Finalists are noted with ***, top 10 with **

Pillars of Light and Love is excited to present our first Julia's Joy Voice Idol Competition Fundraiser. Twenty Contestants will compete in our live shows being held at the beautiful Shannondell Performing Arts Theater on January 14th and 21st with the top 5 Finalists competing in our Finale on February 3rd! All who auditioned are invited to join in group performances for all three live shows! Our goal for all of our Julia's Joy Programs is to empower youth. In this project, our mission is to strengthen confidence, and improve performance skill, in talented youth interested in performing publicly. To improve and strengthen skills, the top 20 Contestants will receive free group vocal and performance coaching from Carter Ross, Instructor for Julia's Joy Teen Program and Lauren Stephens. Both are vocal coaches and performers. Carter will also coach those who auditioned and did not make the Top 20.

Carter is a singer-songwriter who earned a publishing contract with Warner Music Group, writing for artists signed with Atlantic Records. Carter is currently a local private Vocal Coach. He has performed at the World Cafe Live, the Count Basie Theater and The West End in New York City.

Lauren is a graduate from The University of the Arts (BM Vocal Performance, MAT Music Education) in Philadelphia. She is a member of the renowned Voices of The Pops, a small group of professional singers that regularly perform alongside The Philly Pops Orchestra for shows during their concert season. She has had the opportunity to sing with Diana Ross, Deana Martin, Harry Connick Jr., Hugh Panaro, Peter Nero and many more! In 2016, she competed at the local level of The Miss America Organization where she earned the Talent Award in The Miss Philadelphia pageant. Lauren has performed at The Kimmel Center, The Merriam Theater, The MANN Music Center, World Café Live, Chris’s Jazz Café and other local venues in the Philadelphia area.

Both Carter Ross and Lauren Stephens will be Judges for the live shows, in addition to other professionals. We will have no less than 10 Judges at each show, and the Contestants who do not make it to the next round will join the Judges to learn how to be on the other side of the stage.

Dates for the group coaching for the top 20 Contestants will be November 30th, December 3rd, December 9th, and January 6th and 18th. The free group coaching is not mandatory, but highly recommended. Rehearsals will be held for the Group Performances.

Contest Guidelines

1. Contestants must be at least 11 years old by November 1, 2017, and must still be 19 through February 28, 2018.

2. Contestants must audition live without music or instruments as a single act. Contestant should prepare 2 songs, no longer than 60 sec.

3. Contestants must be available for all live show dates of Jan 14th (Dress Rehearsal 1/13), Jan 21st & Feb 3rd.

4. Songs to be performed must be popular songs heard on the radio. No opera. Showtunes must be well-known and approved in advance.

5. Contestants will not play instruments. Songs for live shows shall be no longer than 3:30 minutes. Finale will include a fast and a slow

song per finalist. Judges may recommend a list of song choices for the Finale for each Contestant.

6. Contestants will be judged on a 100 point-based system of 10 categories including voice quality, pitch, stage presence and more.

All categories will be covered in the free group coaching sessions.

7. In the event of snow, performance dates may have to moved. We will do our best to accommodate all contestants.

8. Our goal is to have 20 initial Contestants, then 10 Contestants for Round 2, and the Top 5 Finalists will complete in Finale.

9. There is a $30 entry fee for the top 20 Contestants.

10. Since this is a Fundraiser, the top 20 Contestants are encouraged to obtain at least one $50 event sponsor.

11. Tickets for each live show will be $10 per person.

​12. Guidelines are subject to change, in which case all Final Contestants will be notified. Last updated 11/26/17